Contents of the JET.DOC file

PCVR Presents...

PCVR Jet

This program represents a simple Virtual Reality implementation of ajet fighter. Although crude, the program will allow you to interact ina three-dimensional jet fighter. Using the Mattel Powerglove, you cancontrol the movement of the jet as well as change different aspects of thejet.

CONTROLS:Controlling the jet is very simple. Once the program starts, you will seea control stick in the lower middle part of the screen. This is what controlsthe jet. To move, place your virtual hand on the top of the control stick andgrip your hand. Once you have done this, you can move your hand in thedirection that you want to go. To stop moving, simple release your grip.

To change the speed of the jet, use the index finger of the virtual hand totouch the top red button to the right of the control stick. A floating menuwill appear. This menu allows you to change the speed of the jet. Touch thetop button to increase the speed, touch the middle button to decrease the speedand touch the bottom button when you are finished.

In addition to moving around, you can fire a missile. Press B on the keyboardand an explosion will appear in the distance. To change the range of themissile, press the middle button on the main control panel. A differentfloating menu will appear that will allow you to change the missile distance.The last button allows you to leave the menu.

It is possible to hit and remove the different mound formations thatappear in the landscape but its not easy. The mounds were formed usingthe program makecld.exe included in the distribution.

The bottom button on the control panel allows you to leave the simulation orpress Q on the keyboard.

3D:This program cannot be used in 3D because of problems detailed in theracquetball game and column in PCVR magazine. I know it's not as goodin monoscopic as in 3D but there's nothing I can do about it.

PURPOSE:The purpose of this program is not one of entertaiment. The capabilities ofthe rendering system, my artistic abilities, and the poor resolution of thePowerglove do not make for a good game. But what this program should do isgive you ideas for additional programs. We have included the source code inorder to show you 1) how collision detection is done, 2) how to usefloating menus, 3) how movement can be perfomred using the Mattel Powerglove.

The program is written in REND386 using the same libraries included in thePCVR Racquetball game released some time ago.

Enjoy using the simulation and let's see some more uses for the Powerglovein the near future.

FUTURE:Coming from PCVR late December, a Virtual Drum set using the 3D soundsystem described in our sixth issue.

DISTRIBUTION:The program is called PCVRJET.EXE and is a self-extracting executable file.The program is uploaded on karazm.math.uh.edu in their incoming directory.The program should also be available at sunee.uwaterloo.ca in thepub/REND386/application directory as soon as it is moved from the incomingdirectory.